4 wheel down towing

[sim]

I know the owners manual says that this vehicle is capable of being towed four wheels down, but i was wondering if anyone had tried it yet behind an RV or such?

 

We bought the car not thinking we'd need this feature, but have more recently started thinking about going the RV route in the future. Just so happens the Edge AWD can do that (not sure about the FWD, but cant see why not). I havent read the owners manual in a while, so dont recall if it suggests taking any steps or how you carry this out.

 

So has anyone done it or have any tips on doing it?

[aggie07]

I know the owners manual says that this vehicle is capable of being towed four wheels down, but i was wondering if anyone had tried it yet behind an RV or such?

 

We bought the car not thinking we'd need this feature, but have more recently started thinking about going the RV route in the future. Just so happens the Edge AWD can do that (not sure about the FWD, but cant see why not). I havent read the owners manual in a while, so dont recall if it suggests taking any steps or how you carry this out.

 

So has anyone done it or have any tips on doing it?

 

 

SIM,

 

I've been looking at the owners manual online, and from what I can see, it looks like you aren't supposed to tow an AWD unit with the wheels on the ground. The manual I have been looking at is posted on myfordedge.com and here is what it says:

 

[marinengineer]

According to the owners manual on pg. 210 you must tow your AWD with either all 4 wheels on the ground, or all 4 wheels off the ground, no dollies you put only under 2 wheels. This is for towing behind recreational vehicles only.

 

It also includes the following tips:

1) Tow only in the forward direction

2) Release parking brake

3) Place transmission shift lever in Neutral (N)

4) Turn the key in the ignition to the ACC position

5) Do not exceed 65 MPH (105 KPH)

6) Start the engine and allow it to run for five minutes at the beginning of each day and fuel stop.

 

Hopes this helps you out, as I looked intoit when I was looking for an RV

[bsprague]

We bought one last week. The last car we owned as a "toad" was "towed" 60,000 miles in four years. The Edge has all that is required and in a lot more car than the Subaru it replaced.

 

The first trip for the new Edge will be from Virginia Beach to Tacoma, WA being drug behind our motorhome. It will arrive with about 400 miles on the odometer after a 3,000 mile trip!

 

The towbar is a Blue Ox Aventa.

Edited November 9, 2007 by bsprague

[gpinkert]

I'm a little confused. It sounds as though some of you are towing the edge? The book cleary states you cannot do that on the AWD with any whell down or the FWD with the front wheels down. Am I not understanding?

[bsprague]

I'm a little confused. It sounds as though some of you are towing the edge? The book cleary states you cannot do that on the AWD with any whell down or the FWD with the front wheels down. Am I not understanding?

 

Respectfully, you are reading the manual wrong or have the wrong manual. The book says you can't tow it on a "dolly" where the front is off the pavement and the rear is on the pavement.

 

The book says:

-Run the engine for five minutes

-Put it in Neutral

-Release the brake (after it is connected to the motorhome)

-Put the key in the ACC position.

 

In the last week I have towed the car from Virginia Beach to Rawlins, WY. On the second day the battery was dead. I found that odd and did some home work. Although the owners manual says to turn the key to ACC, it does not say there are two ACC positions. One leaves some accessories on and the other does not. With the it in neutral, you turn the key as far counter clockwise as you can, which by feel, is two clicks.

 

I bought an amp meter and confirmed there is about an 8 amp drain in one position and less than an amp in the other.

 

Before I bought the car I confirmed that it was towable. I used the owners manual, an RV sales guide that Ford prints for their dealer sales reps, an RV users net forum on the Internet and a Ford customer support line.

Edited November 14, 2007 by bsprague

[Marv]

I have towed my 2007 SEL Plus FWD for more than 2500 miles without problems.

It is important to read the directions in the manual.... maybe a few times.

Without looking at my manual, it is the AWD that cannot be towed with front wheels on a tow dolly. But, check that out in your manual.

This has also been discussed a few times so a search should reveal the other discussion.

Marv

[bsprague]

Update:

 

I have completed the trip from Virginia Beach to Milton, Washington. Except for the confusion about the two ACC positions, there have been no other issues. The Edge was a great "toad". Once I learned to rotate the key fully counter clockwise against the stops, the battery remained charged. As long as the transmission is in Neutral, it won't let you turn the key too far and the steering remains unlocked.

 

The towing equipment attached to the front of the Edge is made by a company called Blue Ox. The design of their system for the Edge is very "clean". By that I mean that most of the extra framework (or "baseplate" as it is called in the RV world) his hidden behind the grill. Very little is visible in the grill when the tobar equipment is disconnected.

 

http://www.aemfg.com/pdfs/BX2190.pdf is a copy of the installation instructions.

 

http://www.aemfg.com/images/Baseplates/BX2190.jpg is a link to a picture. The two "bullets" projecting forwards out of the grill are the attach points for the towbar. They remove with a twist for an even cleaner look.

[NLPRacing]

Update:

 

...Once I learned to rotate the key fully counter clockwise against the stops, the battery remained charged. As long as the transmission is in Neutral, it won't let you turn the key too far and the steering remains unlocked...

 

Do you turn the key on first, put in neutral, then turn the key fully counter clockwise against the stops?

[Relgel]

We bought one last week. The last car we owned as a "toad" was "towed" 60,000 miles in four years. The Edge has all that is required and in a lot more car than the Subaru it replaced.

 

The first trip for the new Edge will be from Virginia Beach to Tacoma, WA being drug behind our motorhome. It will arrive with about 400 miles on the odometer after a 3,000 mile trip!

 

The towbar is a Blue Ox Aventa.

 

Hi- I am new to the forum...final stages of selecting the edge. did the odometer not register the toad miles as you thought? have you installed a supplemental brake system in the car yet? if so, what model are using?

thanks,

Jim

[bsprague]

Do you turn the key on first, put in neutral, then turn the key fully counter clockwise against the stops?

Yes. Because the engine is running. You can't get it out of Park without starting the engine.

 

It is assumed you start the process of hooking up to your motorhome by starting the engine so that you can get the Edge to the towbar. If it is hooked up from the previous day's towing, you need to start the engine anyway so that you can run it the required 5 minutes that is stated in the owner's manual.

 

Except for the requirement to run the engine and get it out of park, it would not matter. As long as the parking brake is off, the transmission is in neutral and the key fully off (with the steering unlocked) the car would roll fine.

[bsprague]

Hi- I am new to the forum...final stages of selecting the edge. did the odometer not register the toad miles as you thought? have you installed a supplemental brake system in the car yet? if so, what model are using?

thanks,

Jim

The odometer is electric. It does not register while being towed.

 

My first choice is made by M & G Engineering (http://www.m-gengineering.com/index.html) but a phone call determined it would not fit.

 

My second choice is a Brakemaster by Roadmaster (http://www.roadmaster-tow-bars.com/brake9160.php) . It is an air operated cylinder that fits to the brake pedal. I'm having it installed on January 2.

[Relgel]

The odometer is electric. It does not register while being towed.

 

My first choice is made by M & G Engineering (http://www.m-gengineering.com/index.html) but a phone call determined it would not fit.

 

My second choice is a Brakemaster by Roadmaster (http://www.roadmaster-tow-bars.com/brake9160.php) . It is an air operated cylinder that fits to the brake pedal. I'm having it installed on January 2.

 

I was afraid that the M&G wouldn't work...I have heard the Roadmaster is a good way to go .thanks for the odometer input. what are you seeing for MPG with your edge?

 

Jim Legler

[bsprague]

I was afraid that the M&G wouldn't work...I have heard the Roadmaster is a good way to go .thanks for the odometer input. what are you seeing for MPG with your edge?

 

Jim Legler

The computer says I get about 24 on the freeway. You have to reset after you get up to speed to see that. The average for most trips that include a mix of local roads and freeways seems to be around 18 to 20.

[akbob]

bspraque,

 

How did the install go on the Brakemaster? If you don't mind my asking...what did they charge you for the install? Did you have to install a seat adaptor. Thanks in advance. I am getting my ducks in a row in order to outfit my Edge for towing when it arrives next week.

 

Bob

[rmmpe]

I've towed our Edge over 11,000 miles with no problem(s).

In fact, I have to look at the rear vision display to make sure it's still there. We have the Proportionate Even Brake installed, set to the middle of both ranges.

There is no seat adapter needed; just install the unit and move the seat (power) to the lowest position and forward to secure it. I also have a "Toad-Charge" unit installed between the Edge battery and Coach battery to keep the Edge battery charged.

 

Finally, we place the shift lever in neutral and turn the key back as far as it will go.

 

Great TOAD, this :hyper:

[hollypark]

I know the owners manual says that this vehicle is capable of being towed four wheels down, but i was wondering if anyone had tried it yet behind an RV or such?

 

We bought the car not thinking we'd need this feature, but have more recently started thinking about going the RV route in the future. Just so happens the Edge AWD can do that (not sure about the FWD, but cant see why not). I havent read the owners manual in a while, so dont recall if it suggests taking any steps or how you carry this out.

 

So has anyone done it or have any tips on doing it?

 

I just bought a new 2009 Edge. Had anyone had tow bar installation in the Palmdale area of Southern California.

 

Hollypark

[bsprague]

bspraque,

 

How did the install go on the Brakemaster? If you don't mind my asking...what did they charge you for the install? Did you have to install a seat adaptor. Thanks in advance. I am getting my ducks in a row in order to outfit my Edge for towing when it arrives next week.

 

Bob

This is a slow moving thread! I don't check here often, so sorry I missed your question.

 

The install was done by TL Central in Kent, WA. As I recall it was a little over $1,000. It might have been $1300. I sort of closed my eyes and handed them a credit card!

 

TL Central does so many of these things it was a routine procedure. Part of the kit is a bar across the two front seat rail bolts. It looks nice and does not get in the way. It provides the stationary attach point for the air cylinder.

 

A large part of the expense is the breakaway equipment that is installed under the hood. If the car uncouples from the motorhome it will automatically apply the brakes in the car. I asked them to leave that part out, but I guess the lawyers won't let them.

 

I had one disagreement with them. They tapped into the motorhome brakes at the aircan with plastic tubing. The instructions and airbrake standard applications never use plastic tubing from the frame to a moving part on an axle. That is what rubber hose is for. When I complained they rescheduled me and changed it so that there is a tee fitting on the frame.

 

Bill

 

PS: We've made several more trips towing the Edge without issue.

Edited February 5, 2009 by bsprague

[bsprague]

I just bought a new 2009 Edge. Had anyone had tow bar installation in the Palmdale area of Southern California.

 

Hollypark

 

I'm not from Palmdale, but it shouldn't be hard to find a shop to do this. One way is to go to any place that sells big diesel motorhoms and ask where they send their towbar work.

 

There are several towbar brands, but the two major ones are Blu-Ox and Roadmaster. Blu-Ox seems to dominate the east and Roadmaster (from Oregon) seems to dominate the west. Their websites will lead you to welding and hitch shops that do the work.

 

Camping World is a national RV chain store that has selected Roadmaster as their towbar line. Their website will lead you to their stores all over the country.

 

Bill

Edited February 5, 2009 by bsprague

[Racehauler]

Can anyone shed some light on flat towing my Edge, the Blue Ox info for the safety cables say you must secure the cables to the frame on the vehicle being towed or the convenience loops as long as there attach via permanent chain. Can anyone tell me how they hook the safety cables to there Edge?

 

Thankx

[bsprague]

Can anyone shed some light on flat towing my Edge, the Blue Ox info for the safety cables say you must secure the cables to the frame on the vehicle being towed or the convenience loops as long as there attach via permanent chain. Can anyone tell me how they hook the safety cables to there Edge?

 

Thankx

My Blu Ox base plate installation came with two stout attachment points that stick out from the grill. They are positioned next to the attach points for the towbar. The coiled cables that came with the Blu Ox towbar kit has stout hooks that go into those attach points. If the hitch broke, the cables broke, the towbar broke and the baseplate broke there is still the auxillary brake system that would independtly stop the car. With the Edge base plate there are bolts instead of permanent chain. The cable instructions are going to be generic and many other cars may need the chains. I had a Suburu like that. Follow the instructions that came with the base plate, not the cables.

[speers]

Also, is anybody having to use a lube pump (like Remco) for the transmission? Or is putting it in Neutral good enough?

[bsprague]

delete attempted

Edited July 24, 2009 by bsprague

[bsprague]

Also, is anybody having to use a lube pump (like Remco) for the transmission? Or is putting it in Neutral good enough?

 

Remco is famous for making cars that can't be towed into towable cars by providing lubrication to transmissions and disconnecting drive shafts . The Edge is not a car that needs any of that. I doubt Remco would even sell you a lube pump.

 

The 2007 owner's manual is a little vague in its wording but it says the AWD version is towable with all four wheels on the ground. After you have it fully attached to the motorhome with a Roadmaster or Blue-Ox towbar you release the parking brake, put the transmission in neutral and turn the key counterclowise as far as it will go. If you stop for fuel or at a rest stop consider running the engine for a few minutes.

 

Don't expect the local Ford dealer to know much about this. So few of their customers buy cars to be towed that their experience level is very low. The experts will be at the larger Roadmaster and Blu-Ox dealer/installers.

[GoTeeMan]

I've towed our Edge over 11,000 miles with no problem(s).

In fact, I have to look at the rear vision display to make sure it's still there. We have the Proportionate Even Brake installed, set to the middle of both ranges.

There is no seat adapter needed; just install the unit and move the seat (power) to the lowest position and forward to secure it. I also have a "Toad-Charge" unit installed between the Edge battery and Coach battery to keep the Edge battery charged.

 

Finally, we place the shift lever in neutral and turn the key back as far as it will go.

 

Great TOAD, this :hyper:

 

So just to be clear, you have towed your Edge over 11,000 and have NOT accrued any mileage on the odometer, correct?